Agriculture: Hens

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why they are delaying until 2010 at the earliest the prohibiting of flocks of hens greater than 2,000.

Lord Rooker: The decision that organic poultry producers should be allowed to continue to benefit from the EU derogation until 31 December 2010 takes account of both animal welfare issues and the viability of the UK organic poultry sector. We have also considered carefully all the representations received about the derogation; the majority supported its extension. This approach puts UK producers on an even footing with those in the rest of the European Union.
	This derogation is available only to organic producers who were in production when the EU livestock standards were agreed in 1999. Its purpose is to allow such producers to adapt to these standards.

Ambulance Service: Northern Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In what circumstances the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service is allowed to bring potential heart attack victims to Whiteabbey Hospital.

Lord Rooker: The destination triage protocol jointly developed and agreed by United Hospitals Trust, the Northern Health and Social Services Board and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service indicates that patients suspected of having cardiac chest pain should be taken to Whiteabbey Hospital between 9.00 and 17.00.

Ambulance Service: Northern Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the target response time for ambulances attending potential patients in Northern Ireland; how response times are monitored; and what the average response times have been for each of the last five years.

Lord Rooker: From 2005, in keeping with national targets for ambulance response, the target response rates for ambulances attending potential patients in Northern Ireland are as follows:
	
		
			 Category A: Life-threatening Respond to 75 per cent of calls within eight minutes 
			 Category B: Serious but not life-threatening Respond to 95 per cent of calls within 18 minutes (rural) and 21 minutes (sparsely populated) 
			 Category C: Neither life-threatening nor serious Respond to 95 per cent of calls within 18 minutes (rural) and 21 minutes (sparsely populated) 
		
	
	Prior to 2005, the performance of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) was measured differently. The response target up until then was 50 per cent of all 999 calls to be answered within eight minutes, or 95 per cent of all 999 calls to be answered within 18 minutes (rural) or 21 minutes (sparsely populated).
	NIAS reports to the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) on levels of activity and performance against that activity for each board area and for Northern Ireland as a whole. It also reports to each of the boards. NIAS uses its computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system to report on the different categories of calls.
	NIAS does not measure its performance in terms of average response times. Performance is measured against the targets set out above.
	
		
			 Year % calls responded to within eight minutes % calls responded to within 18 to 21 minutes 
			 2001-02 54 95 
			 2002-03 52 94 
			 2003-04 53 94 
			 2004-05 50 94 
		
	
	
		
			 Year % category A calls responded to within  eight minutes % category B and C calls responded to within 18 to 21 minutes. 
			 2005-06 51 92

Ambulance Service: Northern Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many ambulances have been available to the ambulance service in each area throughout Northern Ireland on 1 January for each of the past five years.

Lord Rooker: The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) is a regional service. The number of ambulances available in each board area throughout Northern Ireland on 1 January for each of the past five years is as follows:
	
		
			 Health Board 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
			 Northern 37 37 37 38 38 
			 Southern 30 30 30 30 30 
			 Eastern 43 43 43 44 44 
			 Western 27 27 27 28 28 
			 Total 137 137 137 140 140

Ambulance Service: Northern Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the total budget of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service for each of the past five financial years.

Lord Rooker: The total budget for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service for each of the past five financial years is as follows:
	
		
			  2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 
			  £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 
			 Revenue 27,191 29,795 33,302 39,941 44,641 
			 Capital 3,135 4,234 4,798 2,934 1,580 
			 Total 30,326 34,029 38,100 42,875 46,221

British Citizenship

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will ensure that all staff handling nationality applications at the ethnic minorities citizenship unit of the British consulate-general in Hong Kong have received training covering part 3 of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office e-gram 31525/06 of 20 July.

Lord Triesman: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office prides itself on giving staff the best training possible to provide first-class consular services at all posts overseas. E-gram 31525/06 reminded posts of the guidance in place for handling citizenship applications received overseas. The staff of the ethnic minorities citizenship unit of the British consulate-general in Hong Kong have been fully trained in, and are complying with, the relevant guidance.

British Citizenship

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answers by Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 8 November (WA 166-7), and in light of the editor of the South China Morning Post agreeing to obtain approval before making any edits to the Government's response, whether they will now publish a response to the letters published on 25 September and 23 October.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: In spite of the assurance given in respect of editorial policy, it remains the position of both the Home Office and the British consulate-general in Hong Kong that it is not appropriate to enter into correspondence via the open letters pages of newspapers.

Civil Service: Northern Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many staff of grade 5 and above are employed in Invest Northern Ireland; and what is their total current salary bill.

Lord Rooker: Invest Northern Ireland employs 18 staff at the equivalent of grade 5 and above. The current annual salary bill for these staff is £1,372,444.

Common Agricultural Policy: Single Farm Payment

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the accepted time scale within which the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs should respond to letters in connection with the single farm payment; and whether it is normal practice for a holding letter to be sent pending further investigation.

Lord Rooker: The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) aims to provide a full response to correspondence relating to the single payment scheme (SPS) within 15 working days. If this is not possible, it is usual practice to tell the customer the reason for the delay in a holding letter. If more time is required for investigation, a further holding letter is issued to the customer after another 15 working days, explaining why a full reply is not possible.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Family Planning

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assistance they provide to the Democratic Republic of Congo regarding family planning.

Baroness Amos: The British Government are not currently funding any programmes specifically focused on providing family planning services to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). However, family planning receives UK funding as part of our broader financing for the health sector. This is mostly channelled through NGO or UN programmes providing support at the level of health zones or hospitals, under either development or humanitarian budget lines. All implementing partners work as closely as possible with local health authorities and, as far as feasible under the circumstances, implement the Government's basic minimum package of services for each health facility. This package includes family planning services as part of the care available for mothers and infants.
	The Department for International Development is also currently co-funding a comprehensive demographic and health survey in the DRC, which will provide up-to-date information on the availability, demand for and uptake of family planning services throughout the country. This should enable more effective planning and delivery of services in the future.

Disabled People: Housing

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Northern Ireland draft planning policy statement of 16 March (PPS 14), Sustainable Development in the Countryside, defines any exception to the presumption against development in the countryside, particularly with regard to the needs of the severely mentally or physically handicapped.

Lord Rooker: Draft PPS14 contains a number of policies that set out exceptions to the presumption against development. There is no exception in draft PPS14 to specifically meet the needs of persons with severe mental or physical impairment. However, Policy HOU 16 (House Extensions) of A Planning Strategy for Rural Northern Ireland has not been superseded by draft PPS14. This policy facilitates the provision of partially self-contained accommodation for elderly or dependent relatives as an alternative to a separate house in the countryside. It was felt that that was a more appropriate approach than building a new, separate dwelling.

Dyslexia: Northern Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What proposals they will make to provide further assistance to adult dyslexics in Northern Ireland.

Lord Rooker: The Department for Employment and Learning's Disablement Advisory Service provides services for people with dyslexia, including funding and support to meet their education and employment needs. Ongoing programmes and services enable those with dyslexia to find and keep employment. Colleges and universities are required to make their premises and courses available to students with dyslexia, who can claim the disabled student's allowance. Technical aids and support workers are available to help them in their studies.

Elections: Postal Voting

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the 20 per cent minimum random check on postal votes must include a 20 per cent sample in each contested ward or division at a particular election in a local authority; and, if not, what advice or instructions will be given on how the wards to be sampled will be chosen and on the level of sampling in each.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The Representation of the People (England and Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2006 require that, on each occasion that a postal voters' ballot box containing returned postal votes is opened, the returning officer must set aside at least 20 per cent of the returned postal votes in the ballot box for checking the voters' personal identifiers. As it is the practice of returning officers to have separate postal voters' ballot boxes for the wards or divisions being contested, and to place returned postal votes into the relevant ballot box, this will ensure consistency in the level of checking, for each ward or division.

Equality: Sexual Orientation

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 would require all schools actively to promote homosexual civil partnerships to children from primary school age to the same degree that they teach the importance of marriage.

Lord Rooker: No. The regulations are not concerned with what is taught in schools. That is rightly a matter for the Department of Education, Northern Ireland.

Equality: Sexual Orientation

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 would require a printing shop run by a Christian to print fliers promoting gay sex.

Lord Rooker: No. It would be entirely within the spirit of the regulations for a printing shop run by a Christian to refuse to print fliers promoting gay sex, so long as that printer also refused to print fliers promoting heterosexual sex outside the realm of marriage.

Equality: Sexual Orientation

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 would require a family-run bed and breakfast to let out a double room to a transsexual couple, even if the family consider it to be in the best interests of their children to refuse to allow such a situation in their own home.

Lord Rooker: No.

Equality: Sexual Orientation

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 would make it illegal for a heterosexual police officer, fire fighter or member of the Armed Forces to refuse to join a Gay Pride event promoting the homosexual way of life.

Lord Rooker: No.

Equality: Sexual Orientation

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have received representations from Coherent and Cohesive Voice, a network of Christian leaders about the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (SI 2006/439); and, if so, when; how many representations have been received; and in what form.

Lord Rooker: We have received no representations from this group.

Festivals: Northern Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What involvement they have had with the 41st annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Northern Ireland at the Smithsonian; whether they were involved in the decision regarding selection of items for the exhibition; and, if so, what consultations were carried out prior to the selection.

Lord Rooker: Northern Ireland is participating in the 41st Smithsonian Folklife Festival at the invitation of the Smithsonian Institution. DCAL co-ordinates the NI Government's involvement in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. The decision as to festival participants is the Smithsonian Insitution's. The Smithsonian is being guided in its research on possible festival content by a broadly constituted, Northern Ireland-based curatorial group, made up of representatives from more than 35 different cultural and arts organisations from the public and voluntary sector. To date, more than 400 recommendations have been made to the Smithsonian by the curatorial group and others. Detailed research into festival content, based on their suggestions, is presently under way. No one has yet been formally invited to participate. An announcement on participants is expected in February 2007. Further information may be found on the websites www.folklife.si.edu and www.rediscoverni.com.

Fishing: Boats

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many United Kingdom fishing boats have been sold to other European Union purchasers and to Norwegian buyers in the past 12 months.

Lord Rooker: Over the past 12 months, 17 UK registered vessels have been exported to Norway and other European Union member states. Data broken down by dates and country of destination can be found in the table below.
	
		
			 Date of Event Country of Export 
			 22/11/2006 Denmark 
			 31/8/2006 Ireland 
			 14/8/2006 Ireland 
			 13/7/2006 Ireland 
			 16/6/2006 Norway 
			 30/5/2006 Ireland 
			 05/5/2006 Ireland 
			 31/3/2006 Denmark 
			 28/3/2006 Ireland 
			 08/3/2006 The Netherlands 
			 03/3/2006 Ireland 
			 20/2/2006 Ireland 
			 17/2/2006 Denmark 
			 15/2/2006 Norway 
			 01/2/2006 Ireland 
			 30/1/2006 Ireland 
			 16/1/2006 Ireland

Fishing: Lough Neagh

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 8 November (WA 183), whether they will re-examine the information provided in the Answer that a fisheries patrol boat was on duty on Lough Neagh on 12, 21 and 30 May and 13 and 27 October 2006; and why fisheries patrol boats' logs indicate that this was not the case.

Lord Rooker: I am now advised by the chief executive of the FCB that shore patrols only were carried out on 12, 21, 30 May and 13 June and that these were wrongly recorded as boat patrols. I am also advised that a patrol did take place on 27 June but that the boat log was incorrectly completed with the date of 28 June. The number of hours has also been amended to reflect the actual time spent on the lough. The original response detailed the time spent by crew on all duties associated with each boat patrol (refuelling, boat checks, etc.). A revised table is attached for consideration. I apologise to the noble Lord that the previous information was incorrect.
	
		
			 Date of Patrol Hours 
			 4/5/06 3.5 
			 7/5/06 6 
			 8/5/06 6.5 
			 9/5/06 6.5 
			 27/6/06 6 
			 30/6/06 8 
			 1/7/06 6 
			 3/10/06 5 
			 Total 47.5

Flags

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which national flags are flown on government buildings in (a) Scotland; (b) Wales; (c) Northern Ireland; and (d) England.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The table shows which national flags are flown on government buildings in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England.
	
		
			 Country National flags flown on government buildings 
			 (a) Scotland The union flag and the Saltire 
			 (b) Wales The union flag and the Welsh dragon 
			 (c) Northern Ireland The union flag 
			 (d) England The union flag and the St George's flag

Gambling: Regional Casinos

Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What safeguards they have put in place to ensure that the process to award the licence for the first regional casino avoids potential conflicts of interest in the local authority's role as issuer of the licence and planning authority.

Lord Davies of Oldham: Licensing authorities will be required to consider all applications for premises licences under the Gambling Act 2005 on their merits, in accordance with the requirements of the Act. Similarly, planning authorities will be required to consider any planning application in accordance with planning legislation.
	Section 210 of the Gambling Act 2005 requires that, when considering applications for premises licences of any sort, a licensing authority shall not have regard to whether a proposal by the applicant is likely to be permitted in accordance with the law relating to planning or building. Furthermore, that section also provides that any decision under the Gambling Act 2005 shall not constrain any later decision by the authority under the law relating to planning or building.

Gambling: Regional Casinos

Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How they will ensure that the licensing process for the first regional casino takes into account the impact of the development on local private interests.

Lord Davies of Oldham: Interested parties may make representations on the application to the licensing authority. If they have made representations, the licensing authority may decide to hold a hearing before determining the application, and the interested party may appeal against a decision by a licensing authority to grant the application.
	Section 158 of the Gambling Act 2005 provides that, for the purposes of any application for a premises licence under Part 8 of the Act, an interested party to such an application is a person who, in the opinion of the licensing authority to which the application is made:
	(a) lives sufficiently close to the premises to be likely to be affected by the authorised activities;(b) has business interests that might be affected by the authorised activities; or(c) represents either of the above two categories of person.

Gambling: Regional Casinos

Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they have taken to ensure that the Casino Advisory Panel adheres to the primary criteria of best test of social impact when deciding on the location of the first regional casino.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government made it clear in the Casino Advisory Panel's terms of reference that the primary criterion by which it should make its recommendations to Ministers should be to ensure that locations for the one regional, eight large and eight small casinos provide the best possible test of social impact. The panel, which is operating independently of government, is on course to make its recommendations to Ministers on 30 January 2007.

Gambling: Regional Casinos

Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the criteria for determining the location of the first regional casino; and what priority is attached to each criterion.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The criteria for determining the areas in which the one regional, eight large and eight small casinos permitted by the Gambling Act 2005 were set out in the Government's national policy statement on casinos, published on 16 December 2004.
	The primary consideration will be to ensure that locations provide the best possible test of social impact. Subject to this, the criteria will also be:
	to include areas in need of regeneration and which are likely to benefit in these terms from a new casino;to ensure that those areas selected are willing to license a new casino.

Gambling: Regional Casinos

Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What measures they will put in place to monitor the impact of the new types of gambling due to be introduced in the first regional casino on gambling opportunities in the vicinity.

Lord Davies of Oldham: We have no specific plans to monitor what impact the introduction of the one regional casino permitted by the Gambling Act 2005 will have on gambling opportunities in its vicinity.
	We will assess whether the introduction of the new types of casino permitted by the Gambling Act 2005, including the one regional casino, has led to an increase in problem gambling or is increasing that risk. We will also assess what the regeneration and other economic outcomes have been.

Gambling: Regional Casinos

Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they are taking to ensure that the claims of economic benefits made by local authorities have been properly scrutinised ahead of the announcement from the Casino Advisory Panel next year.

Lord Davies of Oldham: It is the role of the Casino Advisory Panel, which is operating independently of government, to subject to full scrutiny all the proposals it has received from local authorities interested in licensing one of the new casinos permitted by the Gambling Act 2005. In the case of the one regional casino licence, this has included holding a series of examinations in public into the short-listed proposals.

Government: Composition

Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the composition of the Government is representative of the community they serve, in terms of age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and religious belief.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Civil Service is broadly representative of society in terms of gender and ethnicity: over half its employees are women and 8.1 per cent are from black and minority-ethnic backgrounds. Some 4.5 per cent of civil servants are disabled—up from 1 per cent in 1998. We are working to address under-representation at senior levels and have set targets, underpinned by a programme of action, to achieve those targets.

Health: Intensive and High-dependency Care

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many (a) intensive care and (b) high-dependency beds there were in the area administered by each strategic health authority in the latest year for which figures are available; and what the daily cost per bed was for each kind of bed in that area in that year.

Lord Warner: Adult critical care (intensive care and high dependency) beds are counted, as a snapshot, twice each year, in January and July. Details of the number of open and staffed adult intensive care (IC) and high-dependency (HD) beds on 16 January 2006 and 13 July 2006 were collected from trusts in England and are presented for each strategic health authority in the table below.
	
		
			  IC Beds HD Beds 
			 SHA Jan 06 Jul 06 Jan 06 Jul-06 
			 England 1,793 1,793 1,485 1,443 
			 North East 124 124 110 110 
			 North West 275 265 225 222 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber 179 182 183 165 
			 East Midlands 112 81 96 70 
			 West Midlands 183 201 197 174 
			 East of England 155 152 102 110 
			 London 420 433 301 314 
			 South East Coast 112 110 66 71 
			 South Central 102 112 74 78 
			 South West 131 133 131 129 
			 Source:  Department of Health KHO3a 
			 Information on the daily cost per bed is not collected centrally

Health: MRSA

Lord Rana: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) type infections have been reported in Northern Ireland by the Department of Health and health trusts in the years 2003 to 2005 and in the first two quarters of 2006.

Lord Rooker: The number of meticillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus bacteraemias reported by each individual trust from 2003 to 2005 and from January to June 2006 are shown in the table below.
	
		
			 Trust 2003 2004 2005 2006 (Jan-June) 
			 Altnagelvin Hospitals 17 22 21 8 
			 Belfast City Hospital 55 47 39 17 
			 Causeway 9 9 10 7 
			 Craigavon Area Hospital Group 25 24 20 11 
			 Down Lisburn 12 17 7 2 
			 Green Park 5 2 3 3 
			 Mater Infirmorum Hospital 25 9 23 14 
			 Newry & Mourne 10 5 3 1 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals 42 44 49 25 
			 Sperrin Lakeland 15 16 6 6 
			 Ulster Community & Hospitals 23 34 25 19 
			 United Hospitals 46 41 37 21 
			 Northern Ireland 284 270 243 134 
			 Source:  Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre Northern Ireland (CDSC (NI)) 
			 Methicillin has recently been renamed meticillin to comply with European law, which requires the use of the recommended international non-proprietary name (rINN).

Health: MRSA

Lord Rana: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many deaths in Northern Ireland can be attributed to methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); and what steps are being taken to prevent MRSA-type infections.

Lord Rooker: Causes of death are classified by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) but the current version does not have a specific code for MRSA. The latest data available are for the registration year 2005. MRSA was mentioned on 69 death certificates registered during 2005, of which 17 recorded MRSA as the primary cause of death.
	The department's Changing the Culture action plan on the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections was published in March 2006. It requires trusts to hold a hand hygiene campaign this winter and produce an annual infection reduction plan.
	Recent steps taken to combat healthcare-associated infections in Northern Ireland have included the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety's Ward Sisters Charter, launched in October 2006. Under the charter, and among its 10 commitments, ward sisters have the authority to create a cleanliness culture within their ward environment, and they will also encourage patients and visitors to monitor and report on standards of cleanliness.

Health: Pathology

Lord Alderdice: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What cost benefit analysis was conducted to justify the conclusions and proposals contained in the recently published report The Future of Pathology Services in Northern Ireland.

Lord Rooker: In making its recommendations, the review group considered the need to provide cost-effective pathology services that would meet anticipated demands. The group examined data concerning income, expenditure and activity within pathology services, and value for money was one of the criteria against which the group evaluated its proposals for the configuration of services. The report recognises that delivery of the group's vision for pathology services will require changes in the way the service uses existing resources.
	The report's recommendations, which aim to ensure the sustainability of high-quality laboratory services across Northern Ireland, are currently the subject of a public consultation, which runs until 28 February 2007. Once the policy direction has been finalised, taking into account the responses to the consultation, a detailed implementation plan will be developed.

Health: Pathology

Lord Alderdice: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the expected costs of the new laboratory facilities which will need to be provided in the event of the implementation of the recommendations in the report The Future of Pathology Services in Northern Ireland.

Lord Rooker: This information is not available at present. The health and personal social services are taking forward a £2.9 billion programme of investment over the next 10 years, which will modernise Northern Ireland's hospital, community and primary care infrastructure. Proposals for new laboratory facilities, consistent with the proposals in The Future of Pathology Services in Northern Ireland and subject to the outcome of the current consultation, will be brought forward as part of the site-wide hospital business cases currently being developed.

Health: Unemployment among Qualified Professionals

Baroness Verma: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have made an assessment of graduate unemployment among (a) nurses; (b) midwives; and (c) physiotherapists.

Lord Warner: It is the responsibility of primary care trusts and strategic health authorities to analyse their local situation, develop plans and take action to recruit the appropriate staff required to deliver high-quality services.
	The evidence available to the department, based on a survey undertaken by the Council of Deans and discussions with National Health Service employers, suggests that newly qualified staff are finding employment within the NHS, although the rate of employment varies from region to region.
	The department is working closely with NHS employers and has published guidance to support local NHS organisations, to help them maximise employment opportunities and to ensure the health and social care services do not lose the skills of displaced staff or new graduates.

House of Lords: Complaints Book

Lord Selsdon: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	Whether there is still in operation a House of Lords complaints book.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: The House does not keep a book for complaints from Members, although books are available in Refreshment Department outlets for Members to record suggestions. The administration is currently reviewing the ways in which Members' comments on its services can be recorded.

Housing: Northern Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many residential buildings were built in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years.

Lord Rooker: Information on the number of residential buildings built in this period is not available. The total number of houses built and the number of hostels and communal establishments built by housing associations is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 New Dwelling and Housing Association Communal Establishment Completions by Sector, 2001-02 to 2005-06 
			 Year NIHE Housing Associations—New Dwellings Private Sector—New Dwellings Total New Dwellings Housing Association Hostels Housing Association— Communal Establishments 
			 2001-02 29 1,386 12,072 13,487 11 1 
			 2002-03 2 1,026 13,387 14,415 7 0 
			 2003-04 0 560 13,951 14,511 6 3 
			 2004-05 0 828 14,940 15,768 4 1 
			 2005-06 0 782 16,628 17,410 5 7 
			 1. This table is derived from tables in the Northern Ireland Housing Statistics 2006. 
			 2. It is possible for residential accommodation, such as caretaker or other staff flats, to be included in buildings not primarily intended for residential use, such as schools, offices, factories etc. 
			 3. Residential accommodation within a building may be intended for either household or communal use; for example, hotels, boarding accommodation at schools, old people's homes, hospital wards, barracks etc. 
			 4. Accordingly, a count of the number of residential buildings does not indicate the level of accommodation available in Northern Ireland and is not monitored.

Immigration: Deportation

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many persons have been detained under immigration laws in the belief that they were foreign nationals liable to deportation, where the person was subsequently found to be British or otherwise exempt from deportation respectively from 1 January to 26 April and from 25 April to the latest convenient date respectively.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The information requested is not held centrally by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, and to provide it would involve an individual examination of case files, at disproportionate cost. Information on persons detained is published in the Quarterly Asylum Bulletin, on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	Individuals may be detained under Schedule 3 to the Immigration Act 1971 following a court recommendation for deportation, where notice of intention to deport has been given or where a deportation order has been made.

Immigration: Emergency Relief

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many persons, at the most recent date, were receiving emergency relief for hard cases, under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 2006; and what is their best estimate of the number of failed asylum applicants who are either destitute or working illegally.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The number of failed asylum seekers in receipt of Section 4 support is published on a quarterly and annual basis. The latest publication covering the third quarter of 2006 is available on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.htm. An estimate of the number of failed asylum applicants who are either destitute or working illegally is not available; those who seek to work in the UK illegally do not make themselves known to the authorities.

InterTradeIreland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How they evaluate whether InterTradeIreland is meeting its strategic objective to increase the number, effectiveness and value of all-island trade and business development.

Lord Rooker: InterTradeIreland's key strategic objective for 2005-07, as set out in its approved corporate plan, is to increase the number, effectiveness and value of all-island trade and business development networks. Evaluation of how InterTradeIreland is meeting that objective is achieved through regular monitoring of activities and of the performance targets contained in approved annual business plans. This is supplemented by regular review meetings between the body and its sponsor departments.

Inward Investment

Lord Rana: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much Indian companies invested in Northern Ireland in (a) 2004-05, and (b) 2005-06; and what steps are being taken to promote such investment.

Lord Rooker: In 2004-05, Indian-owned companies announced their intention to invest £15.2 million in Northern Ireland, promoting 850 new jobs. In 2005-06, Indian-owned companies announced their intention to invest £7.4 million in Northern Ireland, promoting 158 new jobs.
	Invest NI continues to actively market Northern Ireland as an investment location to Indian companies. It has engaged a consultant in India specifically focused on lead generation to secure further foreign direct investment and promote new jobs. The consultant is based in the market and is supported by a comprehensive media campaign, which includes PR, advertising and advertorial placement, all planned and led through Invest NI's international marketing team.

Israel and Palestine: Arab League Peace Initiative

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment they have made of the reported adoption of the Arab League peace initiative by the Israeli Council for Peace and Security.

Lord Triesman: We have made no assessment of the reported adoption of the Beirut Initiative by the Israeli Council for Peace and Security.

Israel and Palestine: Exchange of Prisoners

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are monitoring the indirect negotiations currently under way between Israeli and Palestinian representatives on an exchange of prisoners.

Lord Triesman: We fully support Egyptian efforts to mediate between Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the militants currently holding Corporal Shalit, and we have offered our assistance. We are monitoring closely developments on these negotiations.

Israel and Palestine: Peace

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have made an assessment of the likely impact of the recent meeting between the President of the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli Prime Minister on the prospect for peace in the Middle East.

Lord Triesman: We are not aware of any recent meetings between President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert. We welcome Prime Minister Olmert's recent reiteration of his willingness to meet President Abbas. They have both set out their commitment to meet without preconditions, and we hope that this meeting can take place soon.

Israel and Palestine: West Bank

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are making representations to the Government of Israel about targeted killings and political arrests in the occupied West Bank.

Lord Triesman: Our ambassador in Tel Aviv discussed Israeli actions in the West Bank, including targeted killings, with the Israeli Government on 4 December. We have made no recent representations on behalf of the detained Palestinian Government and Legislative Council members. We support the call in the 13 and 14 November EU General Affairs and External Relations Council conclusions for the immediate release of Palestinian Ministers and legislators detained in Israel.

Mental Health: Compulsory Community Treatment

Baroness Barker: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have commissioned research on the impact in other countries of the introduction of compulsory community treatment orders for people with mental illness; and, if so, whether they have any plans to publish this research.

Lord Warner: Research has been commissioned to look at international experiences of using community treatment orders. The department expects to publish the findings when the research is completed.

Nepal: Foreign and Home Office Visit

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the outcome of the trip by Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials to Nepal last week; and whether they will place any information or documents pertaining to that visit in the Library of the House.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We obtained clarification on some important matters and have put a note to the Nepalese recording what was said. They are currently clearing this with their lawyers before agreeing that this is the formal Nepalese Government position. When the text has been agreed, we shall be able to disseminate the information and process the relevant applications through to completion.

Northern Bank Robbery

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the £26 million Northern Bank robbery has been discussed in talks between government Ministers or officials and provisional Sinn Fein leaders.

Lord Rooker: The Government had discussions with a range of political parties in the aftermath of the Northern Bank robbery. These discussions were conducted on a confidential basis, and any disclosure of the nature of such discussions could jeopardise relations with those parties.

Pensions: Richardsons Fertilisers

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assistance they will provide to those who lost their pension facilities from Richardsons Fertilisers in Northern Ireland.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: I can confirm that the staff retirement benefits plan of Richardsons Fertilisers is a qualifying scheme for the purposes of the financial assistance scheme (FAS).
	Members within seven years of scheme pension age on 14 May 2004 will benefit from the FAS topping up their pensions to around 80 per cent of their expected core pension, subject to a £12,000 cap and a £520 de minimis. Those between seven and 15 years from scheme pension age can more reasonably be expected to supplement their retirement income, and will be considered for a top-up to around 65 per cent of their expected pension if they are between seven and 11 years from scheme pension age, and 50 per cent if between 12 and 15 years. Our priority has been to get help to those facing the most urgent difficulties, who will be least able to make provision to replace their lost pensions.

Questions for Written Answer

Lord Selsdon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they last undertook a review of Answers to Written Questions to ensure that high standards of accuracy and relevance are maintained.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: It is for individual Ministers to account for their Answers to Parliamentary Questions.

Railways: Freight

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the European Union directive on the appropriate level of charges for freight traffic on the Community railways applies to freight trains passing through the Channel Tunnel.

Lord Davies of Oldham: Yes. The Channel Tunnel (International Arrangements) Order 2005 (SI No. 3207), implementing a regulation of the Channel Tunnel Intergovernmental Commission, transposes to the Channel Tunnel the principles of EU directive 2001/14.

Railways: Network Rail

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What involvement they will have in deciding or approving how Network Rail reinvests its profit of £747 million in the rail industry.

Lord Davies of Oldham: It is for Network Rail to determine how best to use its £523 million post-tax profits for the first half of 2006-07. It has announced that it will hold a prudent part in reserve, with the remainder to be used to reduce its debt and to reinvest in the railway. It will discuss priorities on how best to use that element available for investment with its key funders and customers.
	Network Rail's profits reflect the company's good progress during the first half of the five-year regulatory control period towards delivering the 31 per cent efficiency savings required by the Office of Rail Regulation.

Russia: Mr Litvinenko

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will issue guidance to Ministers to ensure that statements are not made which imply that authorities of the Russian Federation were responsible for the death of Mr Litvinenko until such time as evidence is available.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Ministerial Code provides guidance to Ministers on carrying out their official duties.

St Helena: Airport

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the procurement and construction timetable for St Helena's airport.

Baroness Amos: The notice for the competition for the design, build and operate contract was republished in the Official Journal of the EU on 28 October 2006. This was based on a revised allocation of risk, under which the Government of St Helena would assume greater responsibility for certain project risks.
	The revised invitation to tender will also contain reference designs for the major project elements to help tenderers minimise cost and time of tendering. We expect to be in a position to issue the revised invitation to tender towards the end of the second quarter of 2007. Inevitably, this means a delay in the likely completion date for the airport. We now estimate that air access will be introduced by 2011-12.

Stormont Parliament Buildings: Security

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the police were withdrawn from security duty at Stormont Parliament Buildings, Belfast; and what consultations took place prior to the decision being made.

Lord Rooker: A police presence on sitting days of the Northern Ireland Assembly was discontinued when the Assembly was suspended in October 2002 and sittings consequently ceased. There have been ongoing communications between the Speaker and the Chief Constable about a permanent police presence in Parliament Buildings on the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Stormont Parliament Buildings: Security

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there will be a public inquiry into the security lapse at Stormont on 24 November.

Lord Rooker: The Government do not consider that a public inquiry is appropriate at this time. The Commission for the Transitional Assembly will be conducting a review, in consultation with relevant parties, of the security of Parliament Buildings, following the attempted intrusion by Mr Michael Stone on 24 November. The Government will wish to consider the findings of the review and will seek early implementation of any agreed recommendations for improvement that it may make.

Stormont Parliament Buildings: Security

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any Minister or official of the Northern Ireland Office plays a role in decision-making relating to the levels of security at Parliament Buildings, Stormont.

Lord Rooker: While the Northern Ireland Assembly is suspended, the functions of the Assembly Commission are discharged by the Secretary of State by virtue of paragraph 8(2) of the schedule to the Northern Ireland Act 2000. Advice on levels of security at Parliament Buildings would be provided to the Secretary of State by the Speaker and Assembly administration officials.

Stormont Parliament Buildings: Security

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether security advice is tendered by the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police or by his officers to the authorities of the Stormont Assembly.

Lord Rooker: The Police Service of Northern Ireland has provided advice to the Speaker and the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission on the handling of major events in, and visits to, Parliament Buildings and the grounds of the Stormont estate. Advice may also be provided on security threat levels.

Television: Digital Switchover

Baroness Young of Hornsey: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have for the environmentally friendly disposal of analogue television sets in advance of the switchover to digital in 2008.

Lord Rooker: Digital switchover does not require the disposal of any equipment. However, as the regulatory impact assessment (RIA) acknowledges, there may be a temporary acceleration in the disposal of some secondary television sets that people choose not to adapt after switchover. The RIA is available at: www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk/pdf_documents/consultations/ria_timingof_ds2.pdf.
	In the light of this, Defra and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) jointly commissioned the market transformation programme to establish and quantify any changes in patterns of disposal of consumer equipment, including televisions, due to digital switchover. The report is expected to be published in early 2007.
	Television sets disposed of following digital switchover will be subject to regulations implementing the EU waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) directive. It aims to prevent electronic and electrical waste and promote reuse, recycling and other forms of recovery in order to reduce the amount of such waste going to landfill. The directive requires producers, or those acting on their behalf, to set up systems for treatment, recovery and environmentally sound disposal of WEEE.
	Transposition of the majority of the WEEE directive is the responsibility of the DTI. However, Defra will be making regulations amending the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994 to transpose the treatment-permitting requirements of Article 6 of the directive. Defra also intends to introduce exemptions from the need to obtain a waste management licence, including for those storing WEEE prior to its recovery and those repairing WEEE to promote its reuse. These regulations will help to ensure that less WEEE ends up in landfill and more of it is either reused or recycled in an environmentally sound manner.
	The DTI has completed its consultation on the draft regulations and accompanying guidance, and aims for them to come into force in early January 2007, with producer responsibility coming into force in July. The Defra regulations will be made shortly thereafter.

Volunteers

Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to reach the target announced on 25 October of 1 million men, women and young people to serve as volunteers in schools and communities; how much they estimate this policy will cost; what negotiations have taken place with trade unions and school authorities to provide access to these additional volunteers in schools; and whether additional resources will be made available to police child protection schemes associated with this initiative.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The announcement made on Wednesday 25 October 2006 referred to the aim identified in the Russell commission report on youth action and engagement, published in March 2005, of involving 1 million more young people in volunteering within the next five years.
	The new independent youth-led charity V, which was launched on Monday 8 May 2006, is working towards this aim. V has the lead in delivering a step change in the quality, quantity and diversity of volunteering opportunities available to young people aged 16 to 25 in England. More than 60,000 volunteering opportunities have been created since the charity's launch. Funding of £100 million has been made available to implement the Russell commission recommendations, of which £50 million is available through a match-funding scheme. Match-funding pledges from private sector funding partners has reached over £17 million.
	Any necessary Criminal Records Bureau checks, which are free for most volunteers, will be carried out by the providers of the volunteering opportunities as required by current rules and regulations.